Mary's Crema Catalana

Name: Mary's Crema Catalana
Total time: 23400 s
Yield: Serves 20 servings
Ingredients: 12 egg yolks; 5 cups plus 1 cup whole milk (about 1.25 liters); Lemon peel (well washed, yellow part only); Orange peel (well washed, no white pith); 1 cinnamon stick; 1 cup sugar (about 200 grams); Plus extra sugar for caramelizing the top; 2 tablespoons cornstarch

Javier Rubin Lopez "el salsero" @elsalsero

Pamplona

To top off our end-of-vacation meal, we made some Crema Catalana with the help of my friend Mary, and they turned out spectacular. This recipe is a custard that you can make as thick as you like. If you use less cornstarch and a few drops of vanilla, it’s more like natilla (Spanish custard). With more cornstarch and sugar, it becomes a pastry cream.

Javier Rubin Lopez "el salsero" @elsalsero

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Ingredients

30 minutes (plus 4-6 hours in the fridge)

Serves 20 servings

12egg yolks
5 cupsplus 1 cup whole milk (about 1.25 liters)
Lemon peel (well washed, yellow part only)
Orange peel (well washed, no white pith)
1cinnamon stick
1 cupsugar (about 200 grams)
Plus extra sugar for caramelizing the top
2 tablespoonscornstarch

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Steps

30 minutes (plus 4-6 hours in the fridge)

1

In a saucepan, combine the milk, lemon peel, orange peel, and cinnamon stick. Cook over medium heat until it just starts to boil. Once it does, remove from heat and let it cool to room temperature.
2

Dissolve the 2 tablespoons of cornstarch in the remaining 1 cup of milk.
3

In a bowl, mix the egg yolks with the sugar, stirring until the sugar is dissolved.
4

Now add the dissolved cornstarch and mix well.
5

Gradually add the infused and strained milk (remove the citrus peels and cinnamon stick), stirring constantly.
6

Pour this mixture back into the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. When the mixture thickens enough to coat the spoon, the custard is ready. Remove from heat.
7

Pour the custard into prepared ramekins or molds and let cool, then refrigerate for 4-6 hours (or overnight).
8

When ready to serve, sprinkle a generous layer of sugar over each custard and caramelize the sugar with a kitchen torch or electric caramelizer until crisp.
9

Once done, it’s ready to enjoy!